Wrestling Releases 2011-12 Schedule

NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion University wrestling announced its 2011-12 schedule, head coach Steve Martin announced today.

The Monarchs host four home matches, featuring perennial national title contender, Iowa State, as well as Bucknell, Central Michigan and NC State.

ODU starts the season with its annual Blue-Silver intrasquad match before traveling to Chattanooga to take on the Mocs in the opener on November 4, before competing in the Hokie Open on Nov. 6.

The following Sunday, the Monarchs head to Hershey, Pennsylvania, to compete in the Wrestle for a Cure Duals. ODU will take on Buffalo at 9 a.m., Ohio State at 1 p.m. and finish the day against Cleveland State at 5 p.m.

Old Dominion will host their home opener on Nov. 20, hosting Iowa State at 1 p.m.

ODU returns to the road as they will face Rutgers, Princeton and Rider on December 2-3.

The Monarchs begin the new year at the Southern Scuffle in its new location of Chattanooga before hosting Bucknell on January 11.

ODU will compete in the Virginia Duals on Jan. 13-14 and head to the CAA Duals the following weekend, where they will face Boston University, Drexel, George Mason and Hofstra.

The Monarchs travel to Campbell to take on the Camels and Navy on Jan. 28 before heading to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech on Jan. 29.

Old Dominion will host their final two home events on Feb. 5 and Feb. 9, when they host Central Michigan and NC State, respectively.

ODU ends the season with two more away matches, at Binghamton on Feb. 17 and at Virginia on Feb. 19.

The Monarchs will compete in the CAA Tournament on March 3.

"We feel our staff has put together a very competitive and challenging schedule for this upcoming season. Our goal with the schedule was to try and get our guys experience against some of the best guys in the country to help prepare them for postseason competition both within our conference and at the national tournament," assistant coach Mike Dixon said. " We have some very exciting home dates that we believe our fans will enjoy. Iowa State is making their first ever trip to Norfolk. Our goal as a staff when we got hired was to wrestle some of the best teams in the country as well as get home dates with these teams. Central Michigan is a perennial top 15 program nationally, and NC State and Bucknell are programs that have produced national champions and All-Americans. Along with our annual trip to Hampton, Va. for the Virginia Duals we have an exciting home slate for our fans to watch some of the best college wrestling in the country."